Overview of PeaceJam’s Service-Learning Programs

Nominated for the Nobel Peace

Prize 6 Times

CONTACT INFORMATION

Kate Cumbo, Ph.D.Director of ProgramsPeaceJam Foundation11200 Ralston RoadArvada, CO 80004kate@peacejam.orgPhone: 303-455-2099

Kate Cumbo, PhD

Leilani Russell

PeaceJam’s Invitation to the American International Schools

On behalf of the PeaceJam Foundation and its board of 12 Nobel Peace Laureates, we invite educators, staff, parents and students in the International Schools network to join PeaceJam and be part of the most transformational youth program in the world!

International Schools in Norway, Brazil and Bangladesh are already implementing PeaceJam Programs with their students because the three pillars of PeaceJam - Education, Inspiration, and Action – align with the goal of creating globally engaged citizens.

We invite you to participate in one of our online trainings and to bring a group of students to one of our many PeaceJam Youth Conferences hosted around the globe, giving your students the opportunity to interact personally with a Nobel Peace Laureate. This document provides information and resources to help you get started!

Sincerely, Kate Cumbo, PhD, Director of Programs

PeaceJam Website The PeaceJam Foundation has a state of the art, social action website to help

teachers and youth create lasting change within themselves, their communities, and the world.

Just go to www.peacejam.org to get access to:

• Online Trainings for PeaceJam Curricular Programs• PeaceJam’s Service-Learning Global Call to Action Campaign• Events Page featuring PeaceJam Youth Conferences• Meet the Nobel Peace Laureate• Photo and video Gallery• Newsblogs & Message BoardsLinks to the website are embedded throughout this PowerPoint

Join and start interacting with youth

from around the world

PeaceJam participants at PeaceJam Conference

The PeaceJam Foundation

PeaceJam is an international educational program built around leading Nobel Peace Prize Laureates who work personally with youth to pass on the spirit, skills, and wisdom they embody.Nobel Peace Laureates Rigoberta

Menchú Tum and the Dalai Lama

PeaceJam has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize 6 times!

Our Mission

The mission of PeaceJam is to

create young leaders who are

committed to positive change in

themselves, their communities and

the world through the inspiration of

12 Nobel Peace Laureates. PeaceJam Founders Dawn Engle &

Ivan Suvanjieff

“PeaceJam is the most transformational program for young people in the world!” ~ Rigoberta Menchu Tum

Members of the PeaceJam Foundation

The Dalai LamaArchbishop Desmond TutuAung San Suu KyiShirin Ebadi

Betty WilliamsAdolfo Pérez EsquivelPresident Oscar AriasMáiread Corrigan Maguire

Jody WilliamsSir Joseph RotblatRigoberta Menchú TumJosé Ramos-Horta

Click Here to Learn More About the Nobel Peace Laureates (right click on link and “open hyperlink”)

Ivan Suvanjieff conceived of the idea for PeaceJam in the summer of 1994 when talking to some gang members from his neighborhood in North Denver. Suvanjieff realized the power of connecting disaffected youth with Nobel Peace Laureates, as new role models for positive change. His colleague, Dawn Engle, had met the Dalai Lama during her years of working for the U.S. Congress. Engle and Suvanjieff were granted an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, who liked the idea.

Watch Dawn & Ivan Tell the PeaceJam Story (right click on link and “open hyperlink”)

The PeaceJam Story

The Need: Youth in Crisis• Most youth do not identify themselves as people

who can generate greatness in the world. • Our young people are plagued with overwhelming

feelings of hopelessness and powerlessness. • These feelings are universal and transcend racial,

political and economic boundaries.

For Example:For Example:

• 37% of high schools and 30% of middle schools nationwide report disciplinary problems due to gang activity.

• Bullying in schools has increased from 1999 to 2003 with 43% of middle schools reporting disciplinary problems due to bullying.

• 33% of youth reported being in a physical fight one or more times in the past 12 months.

• 20% of Africa American youth and 22% of Hispanic youth report feeling afraid at school or on the way to school.

(U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics; Center for Disease Control)

The PeaceJam Foundation

was founded in 1996 in Denver,

Colorado to address

these needs.

PeaceJam Facts• Over 600,000 youth worldwide have participated in

PeaceJam programs. • Through the PeaceJam program, more than one

million new service projects have been developed and implemented.

• Each student has had an average of 45.5 contact hours with their teacher, mentor, community leader, or PeaceJam staff member.

• 60% of high school age participants attend a PeaceJam Youth Conference with a Nobel Peace Laureate and 35% have a personal interaction with the Laureate.

• Thousands of new volunteer opportunities for youth have been created worldwide.

PeaceJam International

PeaceJam has Affiliates across

the United States and 7 Affiliates

around the world including:

India, Guatemala, Costa Rica, South Africa, United Kingdom, East Timor, and Argentina.

Find the PeaceJam Affiliate Nearest You:View Interactive Affiliate Map

(right click on link and “open hyperlink”)

PeaceJam is the only organization in the world which has so many Nobel Peace Laureates working together long-term for a common cause - our youth.

What makes PeaceJam Special?

Central Pillars of PeaceJam Programs• Education: K-12 Curricular programs

• Inspiration: Nobel Peace Laureates

• Action: Global Call to Action

PeaceJam Foundation has five innovative curricular programs for youth from kindergarten through college.

PeaceJam Juniors

PeaceJam Scholars

PeaceJam Ambassadors

Juvenile Justice

PeaceJam Leaders

Click Here to Learn Go To PeaceJam's Education Homepage(right click on link and “open hyperlink”)

PeaceJam Juniors:

PeaceJam Juniors is a standards-based curriculum for ages 5-11 that explores the childhood stories of 12 Nobel Peace Laureates and the character traits they embody. Students study the personal experiences of these amazing world leaders and then engage in service-learning projects that address needs in their local community. As a result, students gain academic and social skills including leadership, conflict resolution, problem solving, and character development.

PeaceJam Juniors students dressed as the Dalai Lama and presenting to senior citizens

Click Here for A Sample Chapter

(right click and “open hyperlink)

PeaceJam Leaders: The PeaceJam Leaders Program is a new standards-based curriculum for young

people between the ages of 11 and 14. It explores the adolescent stories of 12 Nobel Peace Laureates and the strategies they used to overcome problems in their lives and their communities. Through this age-appropriate curriculum, youth explore their own identities and reexamine the choices they make including their role models and peer groups to which they belong. Youth also develop leadership and problem-solving skills while engaging in service-learning activities that address local needs.

PeaceJammers in South Africa

Click Here to Read a Sample Leaders Chapter

(right click link and “open hyperlink”)

PeaceJam Ambassadors: The PeaceJam Ambassadors Program is designed for youth ages 14-19 and

explores issues related to peace, violence, social justice and oppression. Youth study the lives and work of 12 Nobel Peace Laureates and the strategies they use to address pressing global issues. Participating youth create and implement their own Global Call to Action Projects, becoming creative leaders who are committed to solving the most difficult problems facing our world.

The program also includes an annual PeaceJam Youth Conference where youth spend a weekend with a Nobel Peace Laureate giving them an unprecedented opportunity to share with, learn from, and be inspired by a world leader for peace.

Click Here for a Sample Ambassadors Chapter

(right click and “open hyperlink)

PeaceJam Juvenile Justice:

The PeaceJam Juvenile Justice Program is designed for incarcerated youth and youth recently released from the juvenile justice system. This curriculum addresses issues of gangs, drugs and alcohol, domestic violence, property theft and other risky behaviors. Participants develop skills in the areas of civic responsibility, reconciliation and leadership while being challenged to rewrite their life stories, reevaluate their role models and learn the power of peace.

PeaceJam Youth Conferences

Desmond Tutu with MC Rudy Balles

PeaceJam Youth Engaged in Team Building

High school and college age youth in PeaceJam have the opportunity to participate in annual two-day PeaceJam Youth Conferences with a Nobel Peace Laureate in their region of the country or the world!

Participants hear the Laureate speak and get to ask questions, attend workshops, present their GCA projects to the Laureate, and work side by side with the Laureate on a service project hosted by the local community.

Watch Video on PeaceJam Conference(right click on link and “open hyperlink”)

PeaceJam Programs Best Practices

PeaceJam “Best Practices” were determined from the RMC evaluation data and teachers’ “Best Practice Reflection Journals. High quality PeaceJam programs:

– last at least semester with impacts on youth reaching statistical significance after 6 months of participation.

– covered a minimum of seven curriculum components.

– engaged youth in group discussions, study of Nobel Laureates’ life stories, and service that addressed the Global Call to Action.

– provided opportunities for youth to organize and implement service projects related to social justice and that went beyond charity to address the root causes of problems.

PeaceJam Evaluation Plan In 2005, PeaceJam launched a comprehensive

evaluation plan to document the impacts of the program on youth participants at the K-12 and college levels, as well as the institutions and educators that work with them. The annual PeaceJam Evaluation is conducted by RMC Research Corporation.

Methods• Quasi-experimental design consisting of pre-post surveys for

PeaceJam participants and comparison groups of youth who do not participate in PeaceJam.

• Data are also collected at the program level including descriptive statistics of participants, program structure, and quality of program implementation.

Evaluation Findings

In general, PeaceJam participants have higher measures of school, community, and civic engagement than their peers that did not participate – past results also indicate that they scored higher levels of proficiency on State Education Standardized Tests.

Community EngagementPeaceJam participants’ scores on measure of community engagement such as, “I feel proud of my neighborhood or town” increased from pre to post survey while the scores of non-participants declined.

Civic SkillsPeaceJam participants’ scores on measure of civic skills such as, “I listen to other people even if they have different ideas” and “I know how to work well with other students” increased from pre to post survey while the scores of non-participants declined.

Civic KnowledgePeaceJam participants rated increases in civic knowledge as one of the primary outcomes of their PeaceJam experience as measured by questions such as, “I learned about global issues and/or international policies” and “I learned about national issues and/or policies.”

Evaluation Findings (continued)

Peace/Nonviolence (including conflict resolution and problem-solving) PeaceJam participants’ scores on measure of peace & nonviolence such as:

– “Most problems in the world can be solved without using violence”– “Doing things that help people in other countries is important for everyone, even

young people”– “I learned how to solve problems and conflict in peaceful ways” – “When I get older, I want to help stop wars and fighting”

increased from pre to post survey while the scores of non-participants declined.

College• 34% of respondents indicated that participation in PJ positively impacted their

decision to go to college.• 61% of respondents indicated that their choice about what to study in college was

influenced by participation in PJ.

Social Justice & Human Rights• PeaceJam participants increased knowledge of social justice and human rights one of

the primary outcomes of their PeaceJam experience as measured by questions such as, “I know and care more about social justice and human rights.”

PeaceJam Impacts

93% of those who participate in PeaceJam believe that “one person can make a difference,” and 97% feel that because of their experience in PeaceJam, they will be peacemakers for the rest of their lives.

PeaceJam’s Global Call to Action

• In September 2006, 10 Nobel Peace Laureates and 3,000 youth gathered in Denver to celebrate PeaceJam’s 10 Year Anniversary.

• At this event, the Nobel Peace Laureates issued a Global Call to Action to the youth of the world.

• Their goal is to work with youth to complete 1 billion service projects by the year 2018 that address the root causes of global problems.

Click Here To Learn More about the Global Call to Action(right click on link and “open hyperlink”)

1984 Nobel Peace Laureate Desmond Tutu & 1989 Nobel Peace Laureate the Dalai Lama

» Equal Access to Water and Other Natural Resources

» Ending Racism and Hate

» Halting the Spread of Global Disease

» Eliminating Extreme Poverty

» Social Justice & Human Rights for All

» Rights for Women and Children, and their Role as Leaders

» Restoring Earth’s Environment

» Controlling the Proliferation of Weapons

» Breaking the Cycle of Violence

» Investing in Human Security

Global Call to Action & Service-Learning

Objectives• To understand the Global Call to Action and be

familiar with the issues the Laureates have identified as the most pressing to the world.

• To be familiar with service-learning methodology.• To have the skills and knowledge to guide youth

through the process of creating Global Call to Action projects.

Service-learning & the Global Call to Action are embedded into each of PeaceJam’s Curricular Programs.

STEPS TO ADDRESSING THE GLOBAL CALL TO ACTION

• Pick a Global Call to Action Issue– Which Global Call do you want to address?

– What is the Global Call saying?

– What are the different pieces of the Global Call?

– Which piece or issue within the Global Call goes your group what to address?

• Get to the Root Causes– Research the issue and determine how big a problem it is.

– Find at least three different perspectives on the issue (group could debate the two leading points of view on the issue).

– What factors have led to the issue and are they still around today?

• Investigate the Issue– Observe for evidence of the issue.

– Interview people about the issue.

– Survey people about the issue.

– Use data that relate to the issue (e.g., school or city data, demographics and income levels).

– Read the newspapers and watch the news for current information on this issue.

ADDRESSING THE GLOBAL CALL TO ACTION (continued)

• Write Your Problem Statement– After your research and investigation, state the problem in a sentence or two.– Be sure to specify the context of issue (level such as local, national or global).– Include the factors (root causes) that lead the problem.

• Answer the Global Call– What has already been tried by different groups to address this issue (globally

and/or locally)?– What are some creative solutions to the issue that have not been tried?– What can your group feasibly do to address this issue? – take into account the

time and resources you have.– Write up your plan – you can use the template on the website to get you started.– Register your project on the PJ website.

• Write Learning & Service Goals- Write specific goals about what your project will accomplish and what you will learn

through the process – tie directly to academic content and learning objectives.

Brainstorming Project Ideas

NeedsIssues that need to be addressed in school, community, or world

Passions& Talents

Skills and interests of the group

Academic & Program Goals

Concepts and content that need to be covered or other constraints

Effective Effective Global Call to Global Call to

Action SL Action SL ProjectsProjects

PeaceJam: A Billion Simple Acts of PeaceNobel Peace Laureates and youth working

together. Change Starts Here!

PeaceJam’s new book published in August 2008 by Penguin (Puffin Books) features the stories of youth from around the world who worked side by side with Nobel Peace Laureates and is available online and at bookstores near you.

“PEACEJAM: A Billion Simple Acts of Peace highlights the work of the Nobel Laureates and teens who are dedicated to making our world a better place. The book is the official guide to PeaceJam’s Global Call to Action. This widespread movement and features historical and environmental background, questions and answers, personal stories and photos detailing the ways in which PeaceJam youth are tackling the issues that divide us today.”

Global Call to Action Challenge

Check Out the 2009 Global Call to Action Challenge Winners!(right click on link and “open hyperlink”)

Each PeaceJam Group does a Global Call to Action service-learning project as part of the program -- and can submit that project to the Global Call to Action Challenge!

The winners of the Global Call to Action Challenge attend an Award Ceremony in Denver and have a Nobel Peace Laureate visit their school/community for the day!

PeaceJam Awards• Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize in 2008• 2008 NEWSED Civic Rights Award• 2008 Youth Service American “Harris Wofford

Award”• 2008 MLK Jr. Bill Roberts Outstanding Lifetime

Contribution Award• 2006 Peace Millennium Award from The Peace

Company• 2005 Man of Peace Award from the Gorbachev

Foundation• 2005 Outstanding Partners in Change awarded

from the Earth Force Foundation.• 2002 Service-Learning Excellence Award from the

Colorado Dept. of Education• 1999 Faith to Faith Award from the Rotary Club

1995 Nobel Peace Laureate Sir Joseph Rotblat

Ready to Get Started with PeaceJam?

Go to www.peacejam.org and explore all the ways to get started:

• Take Online Trainings & Download

Curriculum

• Join the Global Call to Action

Campaign

• Register your Group and post

pictures and videosNobel Peace Laureates Betty Williams

and Rigoberta Menchu Tum